CHRISTIAN SCIENCE AND INDIVIDUALITY

CHARLES H. S. KING.

True individuality is always manifest in sincerity, earnestness, and humility. Without these fundamental qualities no one can reach the heights of true greatness and satisfy Jesus' requirements. "Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant." Humility keeps the imagination within bounds. Sincere love for our fellows and earnest zeal for the establishment of good will among men, engender a magnanimity which is perennial and not dependent upon the attainment of personal leadership or glamour. He who has learned this lesson knows that only as he is true to the Christ-idea, the true individuality of man, will he be fitted to take a higher seat and become "ruler over many things." This has been amply proven in history. The greatest men were the most unselfish, and in proportion as they were true to the divine light within them and undeceived by the adulation of personality, have they been love and heeded by the world.

This is illustrated by contrast in the lives of three historic figures who were leaders of their contemporaries, Napoleon. Lincoln, and Jesus, and who are severally consigned to ignominy, grandeur, and glory. Destiny entrusted Napoleon with a wonderful opportunity—to help realize a nation's ideal. No sooner was it in his grasp than he flung it away, and sacrificed not only his adopted nation but an entire continent to his own personal success. He had no principle. What he called the "star" of his destiny was his god. He was the personification of selfish striving, of human will which is not its brother's keeper, and his final downfall was fit reward for the deification of arrogant personality.

Lincoln had an opportunity similar to that of Napoleon, and he embodied a nation's ideals. How different was his conduct from that of Napoleon! Lincoln never thought of his own personal wishes. He had a wonderful vision of the right, and he stood for it with patient courage and with sincerity, earnestness, and humility. It was never his own way that he wanted done, it was always God's way that took precedence in all his great decisions; and today a nation points with gratitude and love to its selfless hero. Lincoln, like all truly great men, "illustrated the grand human capacities of being" (Science and Health, p. 200) bestowed by God. His success cannot be ascribed to personality. It was his noble individuality, seen in his high moral qualities, his sincerity, earnestness, and humility, which achieved Lincoln's success.

John the Baptist said of Jesus, "He must increase, but I must decrease." The reason that Jesus' followers are found the world over is because in his experience the material and personal aspects of life were completely swayed by the spiritual, in order that the divine and universal might have full expression. He taught that real success is achieved only through the activities of man's true individuality, and he revealed that individuality as the Christ. Furthermore, Jesus made the distinction between the mortal concept and the spiritual idea clear to his followers. He said, "I can of mine own self [personality] do nothing." "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work;" that is, Jesus' whole being coincided with God's nature and activity. The personal Jesus retires that the Christ-idea may be presented. This enabled Jesus to say, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." It authorized John to say of Jesus, "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God;" and it justified Peter in declaring, "There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." If personality were the object of emulation or the test of discipleship, the revelation of divine individuality would be lost sight of, and mankind would be limited to the level of material personality.

True individuality is a spiritual quality, and is expressed by such men as Abraham, Moses, Luther, and Lincoln. To account for greatness by personality is to fall short of understanding human life and destiny. Personality has an arrogance of assertion which would center interest upon itself, perhaps unconsciously; it is foreign to the Christ, Individuality refers persistently to Principle. The one is dogmatic; the other authoritative. Because Jesus' example is so sweeping, his life so fundamental, the Christ-idea so universal, every individual must some time follow in "the way," accept "the truth," adopt "the life." In other words, proud, self-centered personality must decrease, and the Christ-idea, the true individuality, must increase.

In Science and Health Mrs. Eddy writes (p. 203), "The accusation of the rabbis, 'He made himself the Son of God,' was really the justification of Jesus, for to the Christian the only true spirit is Godlike. This thought incites to a more exalted worship and self-abnegation. Spiritual perception brings out the possibilities of being, destroys reliance on aught but God, and so makes man the image of his Maker in deed and in truth." She also prophesies that when the Science of being is better understood, the talents and genius of the nations will "sit at the feet of Jesus" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 361), the greatest exponent of the Christ-idea. The advantage of Christian Science is that it educates this "spiritual perception," reveals the true individuality of man as the Christ-idea, and points out the snares of personality, thus enabling one to stand for the divine Principle of the Christ-idea—the only rule in the world for genuine success and greatness.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

IS GOD ABLE TO DELIVER US?

February 18, 1911

Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit